Doctor Nguyen Duc Luan from the Oncology Department at Tam Anh General Hospital, Hanoi, states that esophageal cancer is a malignant disease of the upper digestive tract. It progresses silently and is often diagnosed at a late stage. However, if detected early, patients have a chance for radical treatment and a good prognosis, potentially without complex surgery or radiotherapy.

Doctor Luan highlights some early signs that may occur in patients with esophageal cancer.

Chest pain or discomfort is a common early symptom of esophageal cancer. Patients often describe a dull, burning sensation in the mid-chest, which can be easily confused with symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). This discomfort is continuous and typically does not subside with common medications, especially after eating or swallowing.

Endoscopy for esophageal cancer screening. *Photo: Tam Anh General Hospital*

Difficulty swallowing, or a sensation of food getting stuck, typically occurs when consuming solid foods like rice, meat, or bread. As the tumor grows, it can cause obstruction or pain even when swallowing soft foods, liquids, or water.

Prolonged indigestion and heartburn are symptoms reported by many esophageal cancer patients, but they are often mistaken for gastritis, ulcers, or common digestive disorders. According to Doctor Luan, these symptoms are persistent and do not resolve, even with dietary changes or antacid use.

Unexplained weight loss results from poor eating habits, difficulty swallowing, or metabolic processes being affected by the tumor.

Hoarseness or a persistent cough lasting over two weeks, without improvement despite medication, may indicate that the esophageal tumor is irritating the vocal cords and affecting the nerves that control speech.

Doctor Luan advises that if any of the above symptoms persist for over two weeks without improvement, patients should seek examination at a multispecialty hospital. Individuals with risk factors for esophageal cancer, such as a family history, existing gastroesophageal reflux disease, ulcers, Barrett's esophagus, heavy alcohol consumption, or smoking, should undergo screening as directed by a doctor.

Doctors may recommend various diagnostic methods for early detection of esophageal cancer, including tumor marker tests, narrow-band imaging flexible endoscopy, ultra-thin slice computed tomography (CT) scans, and immunohistochemistry. These tests enable doctors to select appropriate treatment methods.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) of the World Health Organization (WHO) reports a continuous increase in esophageal cancer cases in Vietnam in recent years, from over 2,410 cases in 2018 to approximately 3,280 cases in 2020 and 3,680 cases in 2022.

Thanh Long